This powerful, one-off observational documentary (C4 Thurs 24 April) offers a rare insight into child Thai boxing, one of the fastest growing martial arts in the UK with now over 500 registered clubs teaching this sport.
Whether your thoughts on Strictly Baby Fight Club and the issues raised in other Cutting Edge films in this series, we invite you to read this, as the commissioning editor reflects on what makes a successful documentary, the films we’ve seen and those that are coming up. Give him your opinion on the series – the best and worst, and what’s missing, he’ll appreciate your feedback as he looks ahead to the next season in the autumn.
This is the worst thing I have seen on TV for a long time. Teachers aren't allowed to touch children, neither are parents, but you can put little kids into a Thai boxing ring and let them beat each other up and that's OK! Utterly disgraceful! Their parents need locking up.
Can't believe what I have just watched... the pressure put on those kids and the way their parents were yelling at them and putting them down. Totally shocking and very disturbing.
its not like they are studying a proper martial art in a martial arts class. its in arage learning to hit kinda thing. they were scummy and the kids will probably end up in jail. the way one gloated about hitting a kid at school....
I think that was horrific! I can't believe a parent would sign a document where they are agreeing to the potential death of their child. I don't know what they expect their children to gain from this activity. It is also very heartbreaking to see children in tears after losing a match. That was scary.
Well my son is 10 years old and he races motorcycles and also takes part in Kickboxing, but he is not allowed to box until he is 11 and he also has a licence, unlike what was shown tonight which at the start of the program it said it was an unlicenced sport.
One thing I did observe and we get this in motorcycle racing also, is failed parents, like the guy who said he had never won a belt and admitted he was not very good and now instead what we see is him getting his son to make up for his failures.
I would like to say that what we have all just watched is competitions and contact is bound to happen just like in Karate, Rugby or any other sports that children take part in. My 5 year old son started Thai Kickboxing 6 months ago & it has given him motivation to do something instead of sitting in front of a computer. I think this programme has praorade Thai Boxing as violent as abusive to children. It is all down to the parent and person teaching the martial art to motivate children & use it in the correct way.....in the gym.
I was totally shocked and dismayed at this documentary. How this is allowed to happen in a civilized country is beyond belief. As a previous poster has already said in society today teachers, police and parents are limited to what contact they can have with children and yet this 'sport' is deemed acceptable!!
The children involved have been brainwashed by their obsessive parents and have been made to behave in such an aggressive way it just cannot be good for them at such a young age.
The fact that they cried after losing a fight just proved that they are far too young to be subjected to this kind of sport and intimidation.
I can't believe I watched the programme to be honest.
If it wasn't for parents like those shown tonight the "society we live in today" wouldn't be nearly as bad as it is. Horrible to watch, much like the parents that enter their children into beauty pageants. How anyone could do that to any child, let alone their own, is beyond me.
A sad portrail of fathers/mothers living their failed lives through their own kids! We should have tests to see if someone can is responsible enough to parent a child
Comletely sickening. I have just e mailed the NSPCC to report this and urged them to investigate these sick people. Please do the same if you were as upset by it as I was and help these kids. They are obviously terrified of their bullying parents.
Totally agree with much of the above-really appalled by what I was watching. And to top it off, the parents weren't even teaching good sportsmanship-dangerously over competitive
I cant believe what i have just watched. How could a parent watch their child fight and get hurt like that and then see the disappointment if they lose. I think its discusting what these parents are encouragine their children to do.
My 10 year old has just said, that he thinks soem of those kids where forced to do it, whereas he thinks kids should only do sports they wish to do, the example my lad was thinking of is the little girl.
I agree that this was appalling - As a mum of three sons, one of which has Epilepsy andtwo with PKU,I am appalled that parents can allow their Children to something that could potentially cause them any form of damage to their brains. Also, to me . . . It is making children do something that they don't want to do and before they are ready.
As a teacher, I am constantly having to deal with children fighting (seriously or 'play'fighting). Only yesterday, 2 children were playfighting and one ended up with a broken finger. Obviously the children on the program will be involved in this type of thing at school and out of school - settling things with thier fists and feet. This was disgusiting, the parents can see the money making potential. That poor little girl being pushed into fighting - tears to my eyes
